It finally happened. My second novel, “Dead Air & Double Dares,” has spread its wings and flown the coop.

The publisher put lots of work into a nice cover, wrote a compelling blurb, and set me up with a 15-stop tour of blogs supported and frequented by the kinds of readers who would likely read a book titled, “Dead Air & Double Dares.”

Now that my book is out of my hands, its fate rests solely with its readers. Once their reviews begin to trickle in, I will finally know if my writing and plotting instincts were sharp enough, whether the advice of my writers’ group was correct, and if the advice I rejected was a mistake.

Readers’ responses will answer my burning questions: • What sort of impression does my book make? • How did I come across as an author? • Did I try too hard to make the intensely unlikable victim sympathetic? • Did my attempts at humor go too far? • Were they too subtle? • Do the plot twists unravel in a logical order? • Does the revelation of the killer’s identity surprise my readers? • Will they keep turning pages all the way to the end? • And if they do, will the ending be satisfying? • Will they clamor for more, or will they hurl the book across the room unfinished?

You’d think that an author with one published novel under her belt would have gotten over the fears and insecurities that plagued her as she awaited reviews of her first book. After one published novel, shouldn’t she have figured out how to deal with the fears and insecurities of releasing the product of her blood, sweat and tears into the world for the consumption of discerning readers?

Not necessarily. The fears and insecurities are just as intense for my second book as they were for my first. But having been through the “new author panic” once, I know enough to step back, take a deep breath, and keep the faith. As my publisher told me shortly after the release of my first book, “Dust Bunnies & Dead Bodies,” bad reviews happen to every author. It’s life.

So, in a leap of faith, I am letting my book go. It feels a lot like the day I dropped my son off at college 150 miles from home, gave him a hug, and watched him walk away. As I had done for him, I nurtured my book and helped it grow — from a seedling of an idea, to a defiant first draft, to a polished, full-fledged novel. I’d have loved to keep it at home, where I could continue tweaking it forever. But Monday, I gave it a metaphorical hug, and let it go.

Now it belongs to you.​I invite you to read the first chapter of “Dead Air & Double Dares” HERE on my website and leave a comment (or your review) below if you like. Or tell me how you overcame your own insecurities and fear.